‘In his prime’ – Slot told he’s got a ‘very capable’ Liverpool player he’s only used twice this season
Injuries have come thick and fast for Arne Slot’s Liverpool side with Caoimhin Kelleher now set to stand in for Alisson Becker.
The Brazil international was forced off the field of play after suffering a hamstring injury during the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Unfortunately, it means the No.1 will likely be sidelined until after the November international break. Worse yet, there’s a possibility that Alisson’s time in the treatment room could extend beyond the Reds’ next seven games.
At a minimum, it will see the former Roma shotstopper miss meetings with Chelsea, RB Leipzig, Arsenal, Brighton (Carabao Cup and league), Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa.
Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher is ‘in his prime’
A devastating injury blow for Liverpool but an opportunity for backup goalkeeper Kelleher to jump in between the sticks and showcase his talents to the globe once more.
Tony Cascarino certainly feels that it’s a deserved opportunity for the Republic of Ireland international who is ‘in his prime to be a goalkeeper’.
“It’s an opportunity that he deserved to be a number one. What is he now? Mid-20s now. I think he is 25, Kelleher,” the pundit spoke on TalkSPORT.
“He is in his prime to be a goalkeeper. I don’t have any problem in him wanting to be a first-team keeper, it’s whether he can get it at Liverpool. That is a question that only the manager can answer. But he can do himself no harm if he is playing regularly and performs like we know he can.
“I have seen enough of him with Ireland and with Liverpool that he is a very capable goalkeeper. So keep fingers crossed on that one.”
Minutes have otherwise been hard to come by for the former Ringmahon Rangers star, with only two appearances coming in the Premier League and Carabao Cup.
Caoimhin Kelleher deserves to be a No.1 somewhere
With us unable to recall Giorgi Mamardashvili to the squad at any point this season (as our arrangement with Valencia is not a loan), Arne Slot will be forced to rely upon his No.2.
That’s not a devastating reality, of course, given how reliable our No.62 has proven during Alisson’s prior injury-enforced absences.
Caoimhin Kelleher made a total of 26 appearances in the 2023/24 season – likely far more than he anticipated making ahead of the campaign. To his credit, Liverpool won all but seven of those games he deputised in goal (four losses, three draws).
There’s arguably enough evidence from his time at Anfield to suggest the Irishman would make an ideal signing, and first-choice goalkeeper, at several top clubs in Europe.
If his latest spell between the sticks prompts an outfit to meet our financial demands in an upcoming window, we doubt there’d be a single fan who would stand in his way after years of consummate service.
We’d much rather keep hold of Kelleher, of course, as a world-class backup option, if given the choice! But he’s more than deserving of the opportunity to thrive elsewhere.
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